Automatic headlight-swinging means.



J. T. GONNELLY. I AUTQMATIG HEADLIGHT SWINGING MEANS.

APPLIOATION FILED 0013, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914.

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APPLIGATION FILED 0OT.3', 1913.

1, 1 00,714, Patented June 23,1914.

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2 III UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T.

CONNELLY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT-SWINGING MEANS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN T. CONNELLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Headlight-Swinging Means, of which the followis a specification.

My invention relates to novel means toautomatically move or shift preferably the head source of light or lamp carried by one of a plurality of coupled vehicles, such as a locomotive and its tender, by the relative angular arrangement of the locomotive and tender upon rounding a curve, whereby the light will at all times follow the track.

An important object of this invention is to provide means of the above mentioned character, which are simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, strong, durable and wholly automatic in operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide means of the above mentioned character which may be readily installed upon practically any type of locomotive without materially altering its construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide novel means to pivotally mount the source of light upon a locomotive or other vehicle, so that it may be securely held against displacement and readily moved without undue friction or wear on its parts.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive, showing my improved means applied thereto, Fig. 2 is a plan view' of the same, Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the same, Fig. 4: is a central vertical sectional view through the lamp or source of light, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the support of the source of light, Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the lamp or source of light, and, Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a rock-shaft, which turns the lamp or source of light.

In the drawings, wherein is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 8 designates a locomotive having a tender 9 coupled thereto, as is customary. Depending from the tender 9 is a step 10, to which is connected a forwardly extending Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 3, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914.

Serial No. 793,186.

rod 11, by means of a ball and socket joint 12, thus providing a universal oint between the same. The rod 11 extends forwardly for connection with a vertically swinging lever 13, such connection being effected by means of a ball and socket joint 14-, similar to the joint 12. The vertically swinging lever 13 is pivoted between its ends, as shown at 15, with crossing brackets 15 preferably carried by the frame 15 The rod is extensible and is formed in two parts, connected by a turn buckle 11. The upper end of the vertically swinging lever 13 is pivotally connected, as shown at 17, with a forwardly extending reach rod 18, having pivotal connection, as shown at 19, with a flat swinging lever 20, substantially equi-distantly between the ends thereof. The upper end of the lever 20 is pivotally connected with a portion of the locomotive 8, as shown at 21. Piv otally connected with the lower end of the lever 20, as shown at 22, is a second forwardly extending reach rod 23, as shown. If desired the rods 18 and 23 may be formed integral.

As more clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 7 the numeral 24: designates a vertical rockshaft, which is pivotally connected with the forward end of the locomotive 8 by means of bearings 25 or the like. Rigidly connected with the lower end of the rock-shaft 24 is a laterally extending crank 26, having pivotal connection with the forward end of the reach rod 23, by means of a bolt 27, preferably operating in an opening 27 formed in the outer end of the crank 26. Rigidly connected with the upper end of the rockshaft 24 is a crank 28, carrying an upstanding pin 29, operating through an elongated slot 30 formed in a crank-arm 31, which is rigidly connected, preferably with the base 32 of a lamp 33 or other source of light.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 4, the lamp 33 is pivoted to swing or turn in a horizontal plane, and for this purpose the base 32 thereof is provided with an annular groove 34;, receiving bearing balls 35, operating within an annular groove 36, formed in a base 37. This base is rigidly connected with the forward end of a locomotive by any suitable means, as shown. To prevent the accidental displacement of the lamp 33, I provide a bracket 38, rigidly connected with the forward end of the locomotive by any suitable means. The bracket 38 is provided with an over-hanging arm 39, apertured to rotatably receive a pin 40, carried by the lamp 33. Formed through the base 37 is an aperture 3'7 to register with an opening 32 formed through the lamp base 32. Should the shifting apparatus get out of order, a pin (not shown) is passed through the openings 37 and 32 to prevent the swinging movement of the lam and to hold it in its normal position parallel with the longitudinal axis of the engine.

The exact location of the rod 11 is immaterial, it being suflicient that the same is arranged to one side of the longitudinal center of the locomotive and tender, the distance that the same is spaced from such longitudinal center depending upon the amount of swinging movement that it is required to impart to the head lamp or source of light.

In the operation of the apparatus, when the locomotive and tender are traveling upon a straight section of track, it is obvious that the source of light 33 will remain parallel to the longitudinal axes of the same. Assuming that the locomotive is rounding a curve extending to the right, then the right hand side of the rear end of the locomotive will be brought closer to the corresponding side of the tender, or in other words, the 10- comotive and tender will be angularly arranged with relation to each other. The rod 11 being held against rearward longitudinal movement, the lower end of the lever 13 will be swung forwardly and the upper end thereof rearwardly to draw the reach rod 18 rearwardly. This movement of the reach rod 18 will draw the reach rod 23 rearwardly, whereby the rock-shaft 24 will be turned clockwise or in the direction of the arrow. The rock-shaft 2d swings the crank 28 which in turn will swing the source of light 33 to the right to follow the course of the track. It is obvious that when the engine is rounding a curve extending to the left that the source of light will be swung to the left.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a plurality of coupled vehicles arranged in end to end relation, of a source of light pivotally mounted upon one vehicle, a lever pivoted to the side of said vehicle and readily accessible from the exterior thereof without subjecting the operator to undue danger, a rod pivotally connected with the other vehicle near the corresponding side thereof and with the lever, and operating connecting means between the lever and the source of light.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a plurality of coupled vehicles arranged in end to end relation, of a source of light pivotally mounted upon one vehicle, a lever pivoted to the side of said vehicle and readily accessible from the exterior thereof without undue danger, a 1011- gitudinally extensible and contractible rod pivotally connected with the other vehicle near the corresponding side thereof and with the lever, and operating connecting means between the lever and source of light.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. CONNELLY. lVitnesses CHAS. H. DWELLE, T. L. Bovnn.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

